How to say "do you speak English?" in Modern Standard Arabic
هَلْ تَتَكَلَّمُ الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةَ؟
hal tatakallamu al-injiliziyyata?
- Without tashkeel
- هل تتكلم الإنجليزية؟
- Franco / chat alphabet
- hal tatakallam al-engliziyya?
- Literally
- do you-speak the-English
When to use it
The standard question, here addressed to a man. hal turns a statement into a yes-or-no question, and the verb ending changes with who you are asking. It is polite as it stands; adding 3afwan in front softens it further when stopping a stranger.
Other ways to say it
to a woman
هَلْ تَتَكَلَّمِينَ الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةَ؟
hal tatakallamina al-injiliziyyata?
Do you speak English?
Use when asking a woman.
to a group
هَلْ تَتَكَلَّمُونَ الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةَ؟
hal tatakallamuna al-injiliziyyata?
Do you speak English?
Use when asking several people.
slightly more formal
هَلْ تَتَحَدَّثُ الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةَ؟
hal tata7addathu al-injiliziyyata?
Do you speak English?
A different verb for "speak", common in the media and at work.
asking if they know it
هَلْ تَعْرِفُ الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةَ؟
hal ta3rifu al-injiliziyyata?
Do you know English?
Use when any level of English would help.
How people reply
نَعَمْ، قَلِيلاً
na3am, qalilan
Yes, a little.
لَا، لِلْأَسَفِ
la, lil-asafi
No, unfortunately.
نَعَمْ، أَتَكَلَّمُ الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةَ
na3am, atakallamu al-injiliziyyata
Yes, I speak English.
In a sentence
عَفْواً، هَلْ تَتَكَلَّمُ الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةَ؟
3afwan, hal tatakallamu al-injiliziyyata?
Excuse me, do you speak English?
هَلْ تَتَكَلَّمُ الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةَ؟ أَحْتَاجُ إِلَى مُسَاعَدَةٍ.
hal tatakallamu al-injiliziyyata? a7taju ila musa3adatin.
Do you speak English? I need help.
هَلْ تَتَكَلَّمِينَ الْإِنْجِلِيزِيَّةَ أَوِ الْفَرَنْسِيَّةَ؟
hal tatakallamina al-injiliziyyata awi al-faransiyyata?
Do you speak English or French?